The invention relates to a positioning system comprising at least one positioning slide which is variably traversable and positionable relative to a slide support of the positioning system while performing a positioning movement in a positioning plane defined by a Cartesian x-y coordinate system, wherein the slide support comprises at least one y-drive gear which can be driven by drive means of the positioning system to perform a drive rotary movement about an axis of rotation parallel to the x-axis of the coordinate system and at least one x-drive gear which can be driven by drive means to perform a drive rotary movement about an axis of rotation parallel to the y-axis of the coordinate system, wherein each y-drive gear and each x-drive gear has a drive toothing at its outer circumference and wherein the positioning slide has a driven toothing structure with which it is simultaneously in tooth engagement with the drive toothing of at least one x-drive gear and at least one y-drive gear during the positioning movement and can be driven to perform a positioning movement in the x-axis direction of the x-y coordinate system by rotating the at least one x-drive gear and to perform a positioning movement in the y-axis direction of the x-y coordinate system by rotating the at least one y-drive gear.
A positioning system of this type, which is known from DE 1920556 A, comprises a positioning slide in the form of a table top, which can be adjusted in two dimensions relative to a frame-shaped slide support in a positioning plane defined by a Cartesian coordinate system. Two drive gears with axes of rotation oriented at right angles to one another are rotatably mounted on the slide support. The axis of rotation of the one drive gear extends in the x-axis direction of the coordinate system, while the axis of rotation of the other drive gear extends in the y-axis direction of the coordinate system. In tooth engagement with each of these drive gears are several racks formed on the positioning slide and extending at right angles to one another while jointly forming a driven toothing structure. Both drive gears can be driven rotationally, the rotation of the drive gear having an axis of rotation parallel to the x-axis resulting in a displacement of the positioning slide in the y-axis direction, so that this drive gear can be referred to as y-drive gear. In a comparable way, the rotation of the drive gear having an axis of rotation parallel to the y-axis causes a displacement of the positioning slide in the x-axis direction, so that this drive gear can be referred to as x-drive gear. By the superimposed rotational movements of the x-drive gear and the y-drive gear, positioning movements of the positioning slide can be generated in which directions of movement in the x-axis direction and in the y-axis direction are superimposed on one another.
One disadvantage of the known positioning system is a relatively small positioning area of the positioning slide. Larger positioning areas can only be obtained by using suitably large drive gears and a corresponding voluminous slide support.